have to go up on the rich, the president is prepared to see the nation go off the fiscal cliff, shep. >> shepard: what's the thinking on whether they can actually come together at some point here, ed? >> right now it's pretty dim. if you look at what speaker john boehner said in that exclusive interview with our own chris wallace on "fox news sunday." he said right now there are nowhere in these talks. other serious republicans like lindsey graham says he thinks we are edging closer to closer to this just being in calamity. >> i think we are going over the cliff. it's pretty clear to me that they made a political calculation. >> he believes we are likely to go of 00 cliff now. the bottom line is tonight the president is hosting congressional leaders for this congressional ball. basically a black tie holiday party. maybe they will start talking about compromise but so far none in site. ed henry live on the north lawn. prince william's wife kate in the hospital because of problems with her just announced pregnancy. just ahead what we have learned about this condition and this new kid c